Reverse shoulder replacement surgery is a safe and effective surgical procedure to remove the shoulder’s damaged parts and replace them with artificial parts. This helps alleviate pain and resume normal activities. Generally, the orthopaedic surgeon recommends this surgical procedure to patients with certain injuries, including tears or malfunctioning in rotator cuff tendons.
However, patients with infectious disease in the shoulder should not undergo this surgery. They can get the reverse prosthesis once their doctor eliminates the signs and symptoms of the infection. Hence, you must discuss your previous surgery, health condition, and medications with the doctor.
During the reverse prosthesis, the surgeon cuts through the skin near the top of the shoulder and then cuts through the inner layer of the muscles. They remove the damaged humerus and the scapula. Then, they attach a metal plate to the socket side of the shoulder joint with screws that are fixed into the shoulder blade’s bone. Then, they screw the ball part of the prosthesis into the plate and place the prosthesis into the arm bone to secure it with the cement. Subsequently, they fix the prosthesis with the plastic socket to restore the shoulder motion. In this surgery, the surgeon places a tube to drain the extra fluid from the joint. Once the new joint is aligned, the surgeon closes the incision area with stitches or staples.
